Upon irradiating a state of the art radiation hardened quartz crystal oscillator, the frequency shifts range from parts in 10.sup.11 per rad at low dose levels (1 to 10 rads) to parts in 10.sup.14 per rad at dose levels above 10.sup.5 rads. Upon irradiating quartz crystal oscillators with energetic neutrons, the frequency shifts range from 1 to 7.times.10.sup.-21 per neutron per cm.sup.2. Heretofore, these radiation induced frequency shifts were thought to be an inherent, unavoidable property of quartz crystal oscillators. The radiation induced frequency shifts have limited the usefullness of quartz oscillators in radiation environments, such as in certain space applications.